Flying-machine.



. F. J. KEPPLER.

I FLYING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED JAN. 26, 1914.

Patented Dec. 1,1914- .m m m FM n. -M// w J W R w Fl: H v Q F. J. KBPPLER.

FLYING MACHINE.

urucumn FILED JAN.26, 1914.

Patented Dec. 1, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Attorneys FRED J. KEPPLER, 0F LUCKEY, OHIO.

FLYING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 1, 1914.

Application filed January 26. 1914. Serial No. 814,505.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRED J. KEPPLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Luckey, in the county of \Vood and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Flying-Machine, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to aeroplanes or flying machines of the heavier than air type, one of its objects being to so construct the machine as to automatically restore the lateral balance thereof when, from any cause, the machine is tilted to one side or the other.

A further object is to arrange the motor, the passenger and any other weights to be carried by the machine, at a point below the sustaining plane whereby the force of gravity can be utilized for facilitating the balancing of the machine while in flight.

A further object is to so position the load, including the motor, as to cause the machine to dip forwardly and downwardly whereby a front controlling plane or aerofoil can be utilized for controlling the up and down movement of the machlne while in flight.

Another object is to provide means whereby the machine, when anchored, will be free to swing, with the wind, so that the danger of having the machine blown over and thus injured, while in position on the ground, is greatly reduced.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, can be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the'invention.

In, the accompanyin drawings the pre-. ferred form of the invention has been shown. I

In said drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation of the machine. Fig. 2 is a section on line A--B Fig. 1, the upper or sustaining plane being indicated by dotted lines. Fig. 3 is a front elevation. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail view of' one of the connections between the front supporting wheel and its axle. Fig. 5 is a view showing, diagrammatically, the action of the air upon the planes when the machine is tilted laterally, whereby the lateral balance of the machine is restored automatically. Fig. 6 is a view,

'of this structure,

showing diagrammatically, the running gear of the machine and the relative positions of the wheels when the machine is anchored, whereby said machine is free to travel in a circle.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference 1 designates the main beam of the structure, the same being preferably formed of two strips arranged side by side and secured together throughout the greater pornon of their length, said strips being spread apart at those points where they are designed to support structures such as a motor 2, a seat 3, a platform 4, and a fuel tank 5. This beam 1 extends throughout the length of the body of the machine and has erected thereon, at desired intervals, posts 6 which are perpendicular to the beam and are reinforced by means of guy wires 7 or the like. The said posts are connected to the middle ortion of an oblong sustaining plane 8 which may be of any preferred construction,

there being parallel arms 9 extending forwardly from the front end of the sustaining plane and additional parallel arms 10 extending rearwardly from the other end of the plane. The posts 6 constitute the frame of stabilizing plane 11 which is disposed at right angles to the sustaining plane and extends throughout the length thereof, the two planes 8 and 11 being shown more particularly in the diagram, Fig. 5. Thus it will be seen that the main portion of the structure is substantially T-shaped in cross section. Pivotally mounted between the forwardly extending arms 9 is a controlling plane 12 from which project upwardly and downwardly arms 13 having cords 14 connected thereto, these cords being extended over suitably arranged guide sheaves 15 to oppositely extending arms 16 pivotally mounted in front of the seat 3 and having an actuatin lever 17 extending therefrom and adapte to be locked in any suitable manner in any position to which it may be adjusted. Thus it will be seen that by means the controlling plane 12 can be swung about a central transverse axis, thus to vary the angle of incidence.

Mounted between the rearwardly extending arms 10 is another controlling plane 18 having upwardly and downwardly extending arms 19 to which are connected cords 20, these cordsbeing extended over suitably arranged guide sheaves 21 and being secured to a controlling wheel 22 supported adjacent the seat 3 and whereby the operator can readily swing the rear controlling plane 18 about a central transverse axis. As shown in the drawings, the motor, the seat for the aviator, and the other heavy structures to be carried by the machine, are located in front of the center of the machine, so as thus to cause the machine to dip forwardly when relieved of the sustaining action of the plane 12. The propeller has been shown in front of the motor at 23, the same operating to draw the machine forward.

A front axle 24 is arranged under the front end portion of the beam 1 and is provided at each end with a head 25 to which is pivotally connected a spindle 26 on which a wheel 27 is journaled. The head and spindle preferably lap as shown in Fig. 4 and a clamping bolt 28 or the like is provided whereby independent swinging of the spindle 26 about its pivot bolt 29 is prevented. By loosening bolt 28 or by removing it, spindle 26 can be swung about the bolt 29 so as to bring the spindle26at a predetermined angle to the axle 24. This angle is preferably such that the spindles will be extended along lines radiating from the end of an anchoring cable 30, one end of the cable being secured to the center of the axle 24 while the other end has an anchoring stake 31 or the like adapted to be held to the ground. This anchoring means is of course designed to be used solely when the machine is not in use and by providing wheels which can be adjusted as set forth, it will be 'apparent that the machine will be free to swing about the anchor 31 so that the danger of having the machine overturned and injured by the wind is reduced to the minimum. The rear end portion of the machine is adapted to be supported on the ground by a caster wheel 32 the stem 33 of which is mounted for rotation upon the rear post 6 and has a vertical rudder 3% fixedly connected thereto and extending rearwardly therefrom. Oppositely extendin arms 35 are connected to the stem 33 and ave cords 36 extending forwardly therefrom to the ends of a foot lever 37 which is pivotally mounted upon the beam 1 'in front of and below the seat 3. Thus the feet of the aviator can be placed on this lever and the said lever can therefore be shifted so as to cause the rudder 34, and the wheel 32 to swing to the right or to the left, thereby to guide the machine while in motion. Obviously when the machine is left on the ground without any person in charge, the caster wheel is free to swing about the axis of the stem 33 so that, under the conditions heretofore described, the machine will travel freely in a circle in either direction under the action of the wind and as illustrated in Fig. 6.

In using the machine, the front controlling plane is first set in an inclined position as shown for example in Fig. 1 and, when the propeller is started, the machine will travel forwardly and upwardly, the controlling plane 12 displacing air downwardly and the sustaining plane 8 presenting an extensive sustaining surface. By means of the wheel 22, the rear controlling plane 18 can be adjusted angularly, thereby to regulate the dipping of the machine.

A feature of prime importance is the particular disposition of the vertical plane relative to the main sustaining plane. As shown in Fig. 5, by arranging the lanes in the particular relation set forth, ateral tilting of the machine will be resisted by reason of the fact that it results in an increased downward displacement of the air at the low side of the machine. For example, and as shown in Fig. 5, should the machine tilt laterally to the right, the air at the right of the vertical or stabilizing plane 11 will be displaced laterally by the inclined face of said plane and deflected upwardly with increased resistance against the lower surface of the right hand portion of the sustaining plane 8, this resulting in an increased resistance to the downward movement of the right hand portion of the sustaining plane. At the same time, the stabilizing plane 11 intercepts the air which would otherwise exert an upward pressure upon the left hand portion of the sustaining plane 8, thus reducing the sustaining action of said left hand ortion while the sustaining action of the right hand portion of plane 8 is being increased. Consequently, the entire machine will be quickly returned practically to it's normal or balanced position, this action being expedited in view of the fact that the greater portion of the weight of the machine is located along the bottom of the stabilizing plane so that a pendulum effect is produced.

It has been found in practice that a machine constructed as herein described will always balance itself automatically without requiring the use of any side controlling planes or ailerons such as have heretofore een used, it thus being necessary merely to utilize front and rear controllin planes whereby thedip'ping of the machine forwardly can be regulated. Rearward dipping of the machine is eliminated by reason of the fact that the weight carried by the machine is located in front of the center thereof. As a matter of fact the rear controlling plane can be dispensed with and the flight of the machine controlled solely by the front controlling plane 12 and 'the rudder 34. It has been found desirable,

however, in order to render the machine more sensitive to the control of the operator, to utilize the two controlling planes, one at the front of the machine and one at the rear thereof. The rear controlling plane has been found particularly desirable for controlling the movement of the machine while ali hting.

t is to be understood of course that any desired arrangement of'braces such as stay wires or the like can be used wherever found necessary and that various changes may be made in the construction of the frame without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

What is claimed is 1. The combination with an aeroplane including a sustaining plane and a stabilizing plane, of running gear including wheels shiftable about substantially vertical axes, and an anchoring element extending forwardly from the aeroplane, whereby said wheels can be shifted to rotate about axes extending along lines radiating from the fixed end of the anchoring element.

2. An aero lane including a sustaining plane, a stab izing plane fixed relative to the sustaining plane and depending therefrom at right angles thereto, and running gear including a rear caster wheel, a ront axle, wheels connected to the front axle and adjustable angularly relative thereto, and an anchoring element extending from the axle, said wheels being adjustable to bring their axes of rotation along lines radiating from the fixed end of the anchoring element.

n testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

FRED J. KEPPLER.

Witnesses:

SELINA WILmoN, I. E. Smrson. 

